Brisbane City Council yet to reveal contribution to underground bus and train tunnel

Journalist

The Brisbane Underground Bus and Train (UBAT) will feature a double decker design with trains on the bottom and buses on top.

Brisbane City Council is still yet to put a dollar figure on the amount it will contribute to the city's new $5 billion underground bus and rail tunnel.

Deputy mayor and infrastructure committee chairman Adrian Schrinner said on Tuesday it was too early to say how much Brisbane ratepayers would chip in to the combined state and local government project.

"At no stage have we given a commitment to the level of funding other than we are prepared to make a contribution," Cr Schrinner said.

"This is going to be a negotiation.

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"There are various models of funding that could be used.

"Council will only commit an amount that is affordable for us and financially sustainable."

The tunnel, announced last year as a long-awaited measure to combat the city's bus and rail congestion, is due for completion in 2020.

The second of four phases of the large scale project is underway and due to be completed by mid 2014.

Under questioning by Opposition Leader Milton Dick following a project update to council's infrastructure committee meeting, Cr Schrinner said a business case for the project was yet to be finalised.

Consequently, the deputy mayor said, an estimated figure could not be given.

"No figure has been discussed or proposed," he said.

"Council wants to see this project happen – it's in the city's interest and council's interests for it to happen – but we don't have the business case finalised yet."

Cr Schrinner said a number of funding models were being discussed and there had been a "massive level" of interest from the private sector, both from within Australia and globally.

He said more than 100 potential investors attended a briefing on the project in December.

The project combines two previous plans where preliminary work was undertaken - the previous state government's $5.2 billion cross river rail project and the council's $2.8 billion Suburbs 2 City plan.

Cr Schrinner said the council actively sought state funding and potentially federal funding for its Suburbs 2 City plan.

"We made it clear we could not afford to pay that ourselves," he said of the multi-billion dollar transport blueprint.

However, he said any lobbying for federal investment in the underground bus and rail tunnel would fall to the state government.

Phase B of the project, which is currently underway, involves environmental assessment, public consultation and the establishment of the reference design and business case.

It will also see the terms of reference issued.

Upon completion, the 5.4 kilometre tunnel from Dutton Park to Victoria Park is expected to alleviate significant bus congestion on CBD bridges and transport thoroughfares and slash train travel times.

It is the first integrated double deck bus and rail tunnel in the world.

14 comments so far

Because they're all realising it's such a terrible plan that no-one wants to take responsibility for it.

A substantial loss in rail capability compared to the previous model for minimal cost saving (and loss of essential stations among all of the other losses).

Absurd. Some people just want to do exactly the opposite of what someone else says to prove them wrong, even though they're not proving them wrong. This is Campbell Newman.

Commenter

JoBlo

Location

Here

Date and time

February 19, 2014, 12:33AM

There are grave doubts about UBAT, and funding it is just one concern. The way things are going it is quite possible that the Newman LNP will not survive, the Abbott govt will not fund PT or urban rail. Yes, time will tell.

Meanwhile BCC cannot even see the way to save the Darra Centenary Village Community Hall. Remember the great effort post floods to refurbish it? Now to be sacrificed on the alter of development because BCC is in enormous debt.

Commenter

Ozbob

Location

Congestion Capital

Date and time

February 19, 2014, 3:47AM

The rate payers of Brisbane must be well and truly over this inept council with the level of debt left by our illustrious Premier and the continuing rise of debt under the LNP who take the high moral ground over debt as evil under ALP and good under LNP.

Commenter

Shane in QLD

Date and time

February 19, 2014, 5:44AM

what private company would invest in this when every other tunnel project in Australia has gone broke

Commenter

max

Location

qld

Date and time

February 19, 2014, 6:01AM

"It is the first integrated double deck bus and rail tunnel in the world."

Unfortunately that's not an innovative solution, it's a wasteful double-up

Commenter

Wurly

Date and time

February 19, 2014, 6:07AM

Not sure how a private investor would profit from a Bus/train tunnel?

Commenter

Johnny Thunder

Location

Planet Earth

Date and time

February 19, 2014, 6:36AM

We residents have already been paying for it through absurd transport prices. Also there is a reason no other country has ever built a double decker bus and rail tunnel, because it is silly to have your buses travel the EXACT same route as trains, but this government eats silly for breakfast. I wonder what the comparitive price difference between journey modes will be for this short run.

Commenter

pete

Date and time

February 19, 2014, 6:43AM

Trains and buses are a state responsibility. Fix the rotten roads around Brisbane as a priority.

Commenter

Priorities??

Date and time

February 19, 2014, 7:42AM

It is that kind of dark ages thinking that has got us into the mess our traffic and Public transport is in.

Cross River Rail and more rail links is what we need. The option of the Kenmore bypass being a busway linking onto a bus lane and then through the Legacy tunnel should be investigated.

The answer is more PT and bikes not more cars.

Commenter

Barry

Location

Indooroopilly

Date and time

February 19, 2014, 8:53AM

"Deputy mayor and infrastructure committee chairman Adrian Schrinner said on Tuesday it was too early to say how much Brisbane ratepayers would chip in to the combined state and local government project." I for one won't be "chipping in." I am so disgusted with this councils "flagrant" disregard for general consultation from rate payers whom they treat as a "cash cow" & will continue to "milk her dry." l have decided to sell my property & move.